Best ways to boost your child's immune system

Please enjoy the following guest post with helpful advice on how to boost your child's immune system.
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Krista Harper is a freelance writer in Southern California and mom to two adorable young kids. 

We’re always surrounded by endless masses of germs and bacteria in our everyday lives – and for the most part, our bodies and immune systems are able to fight them off efficiently! Unfortunately though, sometimes we do get sick…even the smallest of our family members. When kids get sick, it can be difficult to watch them feel crummy – even though many doctors approximate that 6-8 colds each year is normal as their immune systems learn to fight off bacteria and their bodies get stronger.

Thankfully, there are some ways that you can help boost your child’s immune system naturally in order to help battle any oncoming germs. Let’s take a look at three things you can do!

Eat more fruits and veggies

Although many kids can be picky about what colors of the rainbow they’re eating, working fruits and veggies into their diet will give them a ton of immune-boosting support. From vitamin C to antioxidants, feeding your kids foods like carrots, blueberries, strawberries, and spinach can all help to fight infection and keep sickness at bay. Essentially, you want to aim for five servings of fruits and veggies throughout the day – one serving being considered a cup.

Get enough sleep

Getting enough rest is imperative not only for adults, but for growing kids as well. In order to boost immunity levels, your child must get enough sleep! Although the nightly hours needed will vary depending on how old your child is, aim for these equivalents: preschoolers 10-13 hours, elementary and middle schoolers 9-11 hours, and high schoolers 8-10 hours each night. When we sleep, our bodies make proteins called cytokines, and these are necessary in order for us to battle any lingering or present infections or harmful bacteria. When we don’t get enough sleep, these proteins are limited, making us more susceptible to getting sick.

Wash your hands

One of the easiest ways to reduce germs and decrease the chances of catching a cold! Reinforce with your kids the importance of washing their hands before eating, after using the bathroom, or if they’re coughing or sneezing into their hands. This can seem like a monotonous chore for a child, so find ways to make it fun! Getting some fun-scented soap, kid-friendly bar soap shapes, or even singing a song while they’re washing their hands can make this hygiene practice much easier.

Even though these are only three ways that you can help boost your child’s immune system, there are many other ways out there! Participating in fun family activities like biking and swimming, limiting processed and packaged snacks, and reducing sugar intake are all beneficial ways to boost the immune system. Either way, we won’t ever be able to fully protect our children’s bodies completely from all sickness – but, the goal is to be able to slowly incorporate these tips into the everyday routine of your child, and slowly but surely begin to notice less sick days. These positive changes are all going to make a positive impact on the immune system of your child, and you might begin to notice less sniffles!

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David B. Younger, Ph.D. is the creator of Love After Kids, for couples that have grown apart since having children. He is a clinical psychologist and couples therapist with a web-based private practice and lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, 14-year-old son, 5-year-old daughter and 7-year-old toy poodle.